


Horae

by fluffybunho



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Fluff, M/M, Mythology References, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Side Ships, Spirits, flower symbolism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-10-02 04:14:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17257388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fluffybunho/pseuds/fluffybunho
Summary: All too familiar blue and white hair came into view, reflecting the light of the moon as he stepped into the clearing. His skin was like porcelain, smooth and unblemished, casting a faint blue hue Shownu could only hope was from the light of the moon.After visiting his family old cottage in the winter, Shownu meets a spirit in the forest.





	1. Cheimon

Hyunwoo first saw the white rabbit on his way to the cottage.

It was hard to spot at first, hidden amongst the snow. Hyunwoo had been driving for almost two hours, watching the city slowly turn into the country, the snow on the road thickening as he arrived in the small town. Snow covered everything like a blanket, casting everything into a brilliant white. It had been over a decade since his last visit, faded memories from early childhood slowly coming back, bubbling to the surface of his mind, barely there as if a veil had been draped over them. He promised to go for the winter break, taking his reports and work with him, his bag overflowing with textbooks and research papers, making him run late with his last-minute packing. His mother had already left the cottage no more than a few hours earlier after visiting to clean it up for Hyunwoo’s arrival, goodbyes wasted as he sped along the icy road.

Guilt for letting time slip away sat in the pit of Hyunwoo’s stomach, the call to apologise for his delay only quelled his unease slightly as he sped down the road, distracting him enough to almost miss the small white mound in the middle of the road. The small rabbit watched the car approach, unmoving as its ears twitched, frozen with what Hyunwoo could only assume to be fear. He slammed his foot on the break, the car skidding to a halt along the frozen road, stopping barely a meter away from the small animal. It remained still, gazing at the car, unblinking; Hyunwoo could have sworn it was staring right into his eyes before it turned its head back towards the thicket and hopped away. As he started the car again and drove away, he glanced back in the rear-view mirror, finding the spot the rabbit once stood growing smaller with every second as he trundled off down the road.

The rest of the drive was uneventful, the scenery unchanging as he drove, the trees an almost endless blur of green and white. Relief washed over Hyunwoo as he arrived, his back aching from driving and his eyes heavy. Climbing out of the car he grabbed his backpack and overnight bag that he had haphazardly thrown on the passenger seat, ignoring the rest of his luggage that filled the trunk as he walked to the front door.

A soft sigh left Hyunwoo’s lips as he stared at the old, dilapidated cottage. The paint had begun peeling off the sides of the house, his eyes slowly traced the hairline fractures in the rendering snaked up the wall decorating them like spiderwebs, his mother called it character but the longer he stared he couldn’t help but feel the dread well up inside of him. The snow covered the roof and trees hiding the rest of the sins the cottage surely held, disguising it with a gentle beauty as the sunset reflected off of the snow. Hyunwoo wasn’t sure if this winter break was something he detested or desired. With his aunt’s passing, her old cottage was left to him, and as much as he craved the freedom of living alone, unease tugged insistently at the corners of his mind.

Bracing himself he stepped inside, his footsteps creaking along the floorboards, the wood giving way slightly as he walked. The cottage was cozy, the smell of old wood was inviting as he walked in; the space was small, mostly bare besides the kitchenette, a dining table and a worn couch accompanied by a coffee stained table that stood before a fireplace, a newly installed TV sitting above it. Scanning the room briefly, Hyunwoo trudged inside, kicking his shoes off at the doorway, heading directly to the bedroom. The room was almost as empty as the living room, a large bed taking up the majority of the space. He threw his bags on the top of his bed, ignoring what remained in the car, exhaustion creeping behind his eyelids.

Remembering his earlier conversation with his mother, Hyunwoo made his way to the kitchen, his growling stomach beckoned by the prospect of a full fridge. Stacks of food in sealed containers welcomed Hyunwoo as he opened the fridge door, taking up every shelf, accompanied by a small note.

_I made food to last you a week or more until you settle in and can go shopping._

Smiling to himself, Hyunwoo pulled out one of the Tupperware containers, taking the lid off before reheating it in the microwave, his foot tapping impatiently as he watched the time slowly countdown, cutlery already in hand.

The rest of the night was a blur, exhaustion taking its toll as he relocated to the couch to eat, sinking into the plush couch as soon as he sat down, the worn cushion caving under his weight. The TV was left untouched, as he stared at the unlit fireplace, pulling his jacket tighter, too lethargic to light the fire for some heat. He unlocked his phone and glanced at the dead WIFI bars, noting to himself to call the electrician tomorrow. Too tired for anything else Hyunwoo abandoned his half clean dishes in the sink, rinsing them out before he climbed into bed, sinking into the soft mattress, his eyes too heavy to stay opened as sleep dragged him into unconsciousness, the image of the white rabbit on the road floating through his thoughts before fading into nothing.

 

The sun peeked into the room through the yellowed curtains, the chorus of birds singing in harmony to the risen sun woke Hyunwoo up the next day. New found energy seeped into his muscles as he stood up, stretching his arms above his head he let out a soft groan, his back cracking, traveling all the way down his spine. His feet dragged along the floor he unzipped his discarded overnight bag, rummaging for clothes for the day. Slipping on something warm, he heading back out into the living room, making a beeline for the fridge as he searching for the newly bought bottle of milk. As he ate, he gazed out the window, transfixed by the sea of white, the tree line almost creeping up the driveway, the forest surrounding the house like an ocean of green.

The woods were older than any family that dated back in the old town, the trees taller than skyscrapers in the largest cities, casting shadows that crept along the outskirts of town, hiding more than just foxes, bears and cranes. He remembered coming as a young child, how he used to run through the trees, weaving around bushes as he chased wild cats and swimming in the clear streams, jumping from rock to rock, barefoot as his mother watched on with worried eyes, his aunts gentle voice reassuring her he splashed in the small pools. “Be careful Hyunwoo!” His mothers worried voice used to call after him as she stood by the door, watching him disappear past the tree-line, his laughing echoing around him as he ran through the trees. He remembers the white rabbit that watched him climb trees, listening to the birds sing and the rustle of small bushes as animals hurried past, as if running from an unseen predator.

As he stared through blurred, sleep addled eyes, his glasses forgotten on the kitchen counter, he could almost swear he saw a man standing beside one of the looming trees, wearing no more than what Hyunwoo could make out to be linen draped along his body, if that. The longer he stared the more he could make out the lines of muscles accentuating his bare arms, blue tipped hair ruffling slightly in the breeze. Curiosity mixed with shock as he stared at the blurred figure, his eyes straining, regretting leaving his glasses by the kitchen table.

“Shit,” Hyunwoo muttered to himself as he shot up, grabbing his glasses and slippers, rushing out the door to where the man was standing, the cold biting through the thin fabric of his clothes, sprinting towards the spot the man had been standing, only to be faced with the usual emptiness. The snow untouched, not even a footprint in site to prove he was there.

Glancing around one last time Hyunwoo turned to head back inside, cursing under his breath, pushing the image of the man to the back of his mind as goose bumps shot up his legs, the cold beginning to make his skin feel numb. He shivering with each step as he trudged back inside, shaking the unease that lingered along his spine, it traveled upwards to the base of his head, creeping along his whole body like a snake coiling around its prey, preparing to engulf it.

Distracting himself, he began to sort through his bags, his clothes began to fill the empty closet as he unpacked, trying to find something to fill the abundance of time he had on his hands. Casual jackets and sweatpants filled his drawers and warm outdoor winter jackets got shoved into the closet, most likely to be forgotten as the days passed. Relocating back to the dining room, he stacked his books on the side of the table, typed notes he had previously been using as bookmarks falling out of the sides, threatening to spill on the floor. His laptop and research were carefully placed next to the books, his work slowly piling up and consuming most of the space on the large dining table. He had countless tabs open, filled with articles and research that he should have been compiling but knowing they’d be readily ignored for online games and YouTube videos. The pile on the desk and the work demanding to be done was quickly forgotten, discarded to the side as he quickly found other things to do, distracted by the call of the fridge and comfortable couch he simply couldn’t ignore.

 

It was another week until he sees the figure in the woods again, familiar white hair peeking from behind a tree, his body hidden but the blue tips too eye catching to miss, his face hidden by a stray branch. Determined, Hyunwoo grabbed his coat that he hung up by the door and raced towards where the streak of white and blue was, his feet digging into the snow-covered grass as he broke into a jog, the figure disappearing back behind the tree as he approached. Stepping past the tree line Hyunwoo glanced around the spot the man once stood, the ground remained untouched, void of any evidence anyone had set foot here before. Ready to go back inside, the faint noise of rusting stopped him in his tracks, freezing Hyunwoo began to follow the sound, each step he took was careful, mindful not to make any sound as he approached the frost-bitten bush.

A familiar tuff of white fur stood no more than a few meters away, oblivious as Hyunwoo approached, the snow crunching under his shoes. The rabbit’s ears perked up as it heard Hyunwoo approach, its head whipping up, tense and fearful by the sudden noise, searching for predators that lurked behind the trees. It had stark white fur like first snow, making the all creature stand out against the browns and greens of the surrounding woods. It didn’t move, it just sat and stared, it’s nose twitching as it sniffed the air, eye’s sparkling with something Hyunwoo could unmistakably discern as curiosity. Hyunwoo didn’t move, cautious as to not frighten the animal, his gaze unwavering as he kept his eyes locked with the small rabbit, mesmerised as it stood up on its hindquarters, assessing Hyunwoo, looking for danger. Unable to sate his curiosity Hyunwoo took a step forward, his movements slow and sluggish, trying not to startle the rabbit however to no avail as it dropped back down and scampered off, disappearing into the bushes as it headed back into the heart of the woods, protected by the thicket.

 

The first trip into town as awkward as he expected. Small towns like this, everyone knew each other and as he walked through the busy streets Hyunwoo could feel the not so subtle glances people threw as they walked past, he felt as though he had the word outsider pinned to his back or etched onto his forehead as he navigated the streets. He spent the day walking around, trying to familiarise himself with the street and people, politely nodding and greeting everyone as they passed. The town wasn’t big, cafes and markets took up the majority of the shops, people constantly coming and leaving as they tried avoiding the cold weather. As he explored the town the less and less he found to do, however the drive out to the town felt almost tedious, with the snow-covered roads it took almost half an hour to arrive making leaving so soon after arrival seem pointless, the drive not worth making.

The warmth of the small grocery store enveloped Hyunwoo like a hug as he entered, it was mostly empty, two elderly ladies stood by the fruit, chatting to themselves, both freezing in their spot as they watched Hyunwoo walk in, whispering to themselves as he hurried down the aisles. Part of him wondered if they knew who he was, if the uneasy glances were because of his aunt's passing.

Hyunwoo stumbled back as he felt himself run into a rather solid figure, earning a surprised yelp in return.

“Sorry!” Hyunwoo quickly muttered, steadying himself before examining the man he knocked backwards.

“It’s ok, didn’t see you coming” The man’s voice was cheerful, bright bleached hair matching his personality. “I haven’t seen you around before. Visiting?”

Rubbing the back of his head Hyunwoo nodded, smiling gently, crinkles forming in the corner of his eyes.

“Uh kinda yeah. I’m staying just out of town”

“Oh, the old house by the forest? It’s so beautiful out there. I’m Minhyuk by the way” Minhyuk’s smile was unwavering as he held his hand out, taking Hyunwoo’s hand into a rather enthusiastic handshake, grinning from ear to eat as Hyunwoo fumbled with his shopping basket.

“Hyunwoo.” His eyes twinkled under the artificial lights, a brow raised at Minhyuk’s words, amused as they let their hands fall back to their sides.

An employee who was stacking shelves turned and looked over, an amused expression painting his features turning Hyunwoo’s ears red from the commotion that they had caused in the previously silent store. Minhyuk turned and gave the pink haired man a quick wave before turning back to Hyunwoo, missing the small smile that was returned.

“It must be nice living out by the forest, full of good energy. You can feel it. Around town. Especially in the forest. Almost like it’s overflowing with life” Minhyuk’s words be stirring the very back of Hyunwoo’s memory, his curiosity peaking as Minhyuk spoke.

“Energy?” Hyunwoo said, his brows furrowing. “I never really noticed”

“Well you know about that old myth about the spirit in the woods,” Minhyuk’s voice was almost childish, his tone teasing as he prodded Hyunwoo’s sides, his smile unwavering. Before Hyunwoo could respond, Minhyuk took a step backward, raising one hand into a half-hearted wave. “Anyways nice meeting you Hyunwoo! I have to get going but I’ll see you around?”

Minhyuk threw Hyunwoo one last smile as he began walking away, skipping down the hallway where the man stacking the shelves was before, leaving a slightly stunning Hyunwoo behind, watching him as he left.

“Yeah of course. See you around…” Hyunwoo called after him, his voice trailing off as Minhyuk disappeared behind the shelves, his laughter following him as he left.

As Hyunwoo finished his shopping he began to head back to his car, the wind beginning to pick up, snowflakes sticking to his hair and jacket as he made his way back to the car Minhyuk’s words bubbling back, conjuring the forest again. He thinks back to his childhood watching the frogs jump around the stream, the crows calling out from the trees, echoing through the trees for what seemed like miles. He remembers the shadow that used to follow him, the everlasting presence that watched from a distance as he played. He remembers the small clearing where the trees began to change and the birds stopped singing, muffled as if he was standing underwater.

The skin on the back of his neck prickled, sticking up as he drove back, the sun setting behind the mountains in the distance casting a reddish hue across the sky that slowly faded into black as the moon began to rise. Hyunwoo’s eyes wandering to the tree-line almost missing the white rabbit that was sitting by the roadside, its ears twitching, rotating as its head followed the motion of the car, watching it drive past and up the driveway, pulling up next to the house. As he got out of the car, his head whipped back to where the rabbit was sitting, watching, motionless except for the occasional twitch of its nose. The groceries remained forgotten as he walked towards the rabbit, his eyes sparkling with curiosity as it watched him approach. As he got closer the rabbit turned and hopped past the trees, staying close enough for Hyunwoo to be able to follow, his feet digging into the snow as he broke into a jog.

The forest wasn’t somewhere to be after the sunset.

Hyunwoo didn’t notice the sun hide behind the horizon, casting the world into night, the moon full and bright illuminating his path as he tried to navigate his ways through the trees, his eyes straining to focus on the small rabbit bounding forward. The cold air sticks sharp down his throat, burning his lungs as he broke into a sprint, squinting slightly as the wind whipped his eyes making them water. The rabbit was far ahead, almost disappearing from sight, only slowing down to avoid broken branches and undergrowth. Hyunwoo can hear small twigs and dead leave crunch and be kicked under its small paws as it ran, only ever stopped ever so occasionally to look back at Hyunwoo, as if to make sure he was following. Hyunwoo could only pray it didn’t lead him down a rabbit hole.

Hyunwoo barely noticed the trees beginning to change as he delved further into the woods, the snow not as thick under his feet as he ran, soft lilac flowers bloomed on bright green bushes against all odds. The rabbit began to slow down as they reached a clearing, only a light dusting of snow covered the ground, grass peeking through the white blanket. Just past the clearing was a line of trees. Trees Hyunwoo had never seen before. Foreign and looming. The branches thick covered in leaves hiding what lay beyond like a barrier.

The moon seemed to grow larger as he stepped into the clearing, illuminating everything around him, the world no longer hidden by the inky blankness; it was as if a veil had been lifted off his eyes, letting him finally see clearly for the first time in his life. As Hyunwoo looked around he could hear the faint sounds of animals yowling in the distance, the trees and shrubs ruffling as they walked past, making their shrouded presence known. The more he looked the more he saw; the shadows danced around him, teasing; a fox walked past, hidden mostly by trees its eyes glowing as it stared at Hyunwoo before diving back into the undergrowth, disappearing from sight.

The rabbit slowly hopped over and stood just below the barrier of trees. Standing up on its back legs it looked around, as if waiting for someone to come. Hyunwoo just stood and waited with the animal, his mind whirring, trying to take in his surroundings, shock and awe clouding his thoughts as they fell into desuetude, staring, wide eyed.

“You shouldn’t be here”

He heard the voice before he saw the man approach, the harsh tone snapping him back to reality, his muscles tensing as his body prepared for fight or flight, unsure what to make of the looming figure. All too familiar blue and white hair came into view, reflecting the light of the moon as he stepped into the clearing. His skin was like porcelain, smooth and unblemished, casting a faint blue hue Hyunwoo could only hope was from the light of the moon. His muscles cast shadows along his body, accentuating every dip and curve as he walked forward, lips downturned and his eyebrows slightly furrowed as he stared at Hyunwoo, icy blue eyes looking him up and down. Shadows followed him as he walked, concealing most of his face and body like a mask.

The rabbit that Hyunwoo had followed gave him one last glance before hopping over to the man, sitting at his feet and looking up expectantly like a lost puppy. Its back leg kicking out with excitement as the man scooped it up, gently cradling the small creature in his arms, fondness unmistakable in the soft smile that disappeared as quickly as it came as he looked back up at Hyunwoo.

“Go now” The man barked out, his eyes narrowing as he took another step forward, the shadows shifting with each movement like tendrils.

Hyunwoo’s throat began to constrict as the man spoke, fear freezing him into place.

“You. You’re the one I saw the other day”

The man didn’t answer, only looking at Hyunwoo with curiosity before tilting his head.

“How did you find this place”

“I followed that rabbit” Hyunwoo tried with a point of his finger. “It was like it was taking me here”

The man looked perplexed at Hyunwoo’s words, glancing down at the rabbit in his arms, his thumb gently rubbing against its fur.

“Just leave, you aren’t supposed to be here” The man turned his back, his hair ruffling lightly as a light breeze blew through the clearing. “And don’t return”

As he stepped back beyond the trees, the darkness engulfed him, like clawed hands pulling him into the night, leaving no trace behind.

Unease crept along Hyunwoo’s body, his hairs standing on end at the encounter. Stealing one last glance Hyunwoo hurried out of the clearing, retracing his steps home, his surroundings becoming more and more familiar, the snow thickening under his feet and the world around him darkening, the unnatural light the clearing seemed to cast gone almost as if it had been a dream. The trek back to the cottage felt longer, the cold settling into his bones, making them ache with each step forward, trying to push away the image of what just played out to the furthest corners of his mind.

As he arrived back home, he locked his door in a hurry, fighting the urge to peer out the window to see if he was being watched, this disquiet lingered around him, his fingers twitching as he hurried to his room, pulling out a fresh pair of clothes, hoping the hot water from a shower would wash away the dread that had settled in the forefront of his mind.

The rest of the night was short lived, the TV only a faint echo in the background as he stared blankly at the flickering images, unable to focus. He devoured his food, seeking comfort in familiar tastes and smells, the warmth of the home-cooked meal calming his bod, releasing some of the tension he held. A temporary distraction until weariness began to take its toll, his eyes drooping as he dragged his feet along the floor, crawling into bed.

Images of glowing eyes, bushy tails and white fur, swum through his thoughts, persistent and unyielding, the otherworldly man in the woods and his white rabbit being the last thing he saw before he fell into a deep dreamless sleep, unaware of the watchful eyes that stood guard at the edge of the forest, staring at the quiet cottage, unmoving until dawn broke and the birds began to sing, filling their shift to watch over the curious man who was still snoring softly in the comfort of a warm bed.


	2. Thallo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the weeks pass, Hyunwoo can feel something stirring in the forest, growing stronger with the approach of the Spring Equinox

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> low key accidentally forgot to post the final draft last chapter so just pasted the final now yeet. not much changed just fixed up minor grammar errors and changed shownu to hyunwoo. Anygays enjoy!!!!

Hyunwoo woke up with a start, his heart racing as he looked around the room, eyes trying to make out the blurred shapes around him, scanning the room before letting his head fall back down onto the pillow. As he laid back, his mind slowly wandered back to the night before, the feeling of the cold seeping into his skin, the sound of the wind echoing in his ears. Shadows slowly invaded his thoughts, white fur and a harsh voice sending chills down his spine. Squeezing his eyes shut he ran his hands along his face, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes along with any thoughts of the previous night. Fumbling, he stood up, slipping on his glasses mentally listing things he needed to do, anything to distract his mind and stop he thoughts from lingering and finding himself back in the forest.

Paranoia began to seep into the corners of his mind, prodding every so often as he found his gaze constantly wandering to the window, looking, searching the tree line for the man, only to be faced with an endless sea of white and the emptiness of the forest, nothing in sight. Distractions were scarce as he looked around the mostly empty house, the newly installed Wi-Fi router blinking red, lifeless. His eyes landing on the forgotten papers and laptop that sat on the living room table, scattered and disorganised, an almost taunting reminder of how little Hyunwoo had done since he had arrived. With one last glance he turned away from the window, facing the fireplace as he slid into the chair, hands sweeping over the desk in attempt to rearrange the haphazardly arranged papers. As the laptop slowly powered up, he found his eyes wandering, unable to focus as he began to count the cracks in the wall, the unease lingering as he fought the temptation to look back out the window. Unopened documents and countless tabs stared back at him, the words floating, jumbled as his concentration kept slipping away. He typed mindlessly, words he could barely focus on filled the screen, his eyes blurring as he worked.

Hyunwoo could have only been staring at his laptop for minutes, however, time seemed to drag on, shifting in his seat from discomfort he found his gaze staring back out the window, his gaze finding itself on a small white bird that had perched themselves on the small bush outside, unbothered by the mass of snow under their feet as they stared in, eyes unblinking as if waiting for something. With a tilt of its head, it took flight, its wings sending up a small flurry of snow as it headed back towards the forest, darting past the tree line and disappearing behind the branches. The feeling from last night returned as he watched the bird fly off, like a silent invitation for him to follow.

Unable to resist the call, Hyunwoo stood up, the chair groaning against the floorboard as he pushed it back, his work forgotten as he grabbed his coat and shoes, his hands trembling slightly as he tied his laces.

_ You shouldn’t be here. _

Hyunwoo wasn’t sure what washed over him, the sudden courage to ignore those words that haven’t left his mind since last night, repeating themselves over and over, muffled yet relentless. The incessant nagging lingered as he trudged forward, no more than a whisper as soon as he felt the snow crunch beneath his foot. The air grew colder as he approached, nipping at his skin, his nose turning a bright red as he walked forward, shivering with each step, from fear or the cold, Hyunwoo wasn’t sure. The sounds of the birds’ singing grew louder, bouncing off the trees, the sound almost deafening. His ears started ringing as he found himself at the tree-line, the trunks looming overhead, impossibly tall as he glanced up, trying to find the birds but only met with empty branches and the hypnotic glare of the sun.

The tingling lingered as soon as the noise diminish, fading into complete silence as soon as he faced the tree line. As the clouds engulfed the sun, casting a shadow over the forest the singing soon turned into the familiar voice, whispering in the wind, warning him. Shadows crawled along the forest floor, closing in, casting the world into darkness as it approached, arms reaching out and clawed hands grasping and consuming all in its path. With one last glance Hyunwoo took a step back, stumbling as he turned to flee.

The shadows retreated and birds started to sing as they normally did, their song gently carrying in the wind. A small white figure lingered in the corner of Hyunwoo’s eye, the blurred outline of the white rabbit sat to the side, watching as he trudged back home, disappearing as soon as he turned his head, the snow undisturbed. Doubt clouded his thoughts as he kept searching, the image of the rabbit had been too clear for it to have not been real. Bringing his hands up to his face, he began to rub his eyes, his hands dragging along his skin as if trying to rub away the paranoia that refused to sleep, only growing as he stepped inside and locked the door behind him, the bird’s song ending as soon as the lock clicked shut.

 

Fear of what lurked behind the trees drove Hyunwoo to stay inside, his food depleting as he spent his days writing, working on his report, with the occasional visit to the fridge and bathroom. The weather had started to warm, the layer of snow covering the ground wasn’t as thick and the snowfall had lessened. The days passed quickly, the rabbit still lingered, sometimes approaching the house or watching from afar, as observant as ever before disappearing without a trace. Hyunwoo knew the behaviour was odd, every time he saw the small animal the questions and uncertainties of the visits gnawed at him. The sound of empty bottles clanging together as he opened the fridge was a constant reminder to go to town, the fridge completely empty besides some over ripe fruits and forgotten left overs stashed at the back as a result of avoidance for washing up.

Hyunwoo couldn’t help by giving the forest one last look before he drove off, the house disappearing in the distance, too far away for Hyunwoo to see the spot of white and blue hair watching him leave, and too far away for him to see the mischievous smile on the figures lips before the man turned and disappeared behind the safety of the trees. The drive to town wasn’t long, he knew he could easily walk it but the familiarity of the wheel and safety of the vehicle seemed to be the only motivation he could find to leave the house. Hyunwoo could feel his stomach turn at the thought of walking along the edge of the forest, prying eyes watching every step as he made his way to town.

The town was busy as usual when he arrived, crowds littering the streets and shops overflowing with customers. The market stalls set up in the middle of the main street where overflowing with produce, fresh fruit and vegetables spilling over the sides of tables and the smell of vendors cooking fresh food began to waft over, the smoke rising into the air from the stalls like a beacon signalling him over.

Hyunwoo could feel his wallet grow lighter as his stomach grew fuller, warmth spreading along his body as he walked down the crowded street, glancing at the produce, debating on what to buy.  

“Hyunwoo!” Hyunwoo froze in place, his heart skipping a beat as he looked up, wide eyed only to find Minhyuk waving wildly at him, approaching with large strides, dragging a familiar pink haired man behind him. “It’s been a while”

The shock was quickly replaced by a warm smile as Minhyuk approached, beaming as brightly as his bleached hair, teeth showing and eyes hidden.

“Minhyuk, hi. It has been” Hyunwoo said, trying to hide the soft stutter in his voice.

“Pretty good. Springs approaching but it’s always sad to say goodbye to winter isn’t it” There was something wistful about Minhyuk’s expression that Hyunwoo couldn't place, longing, regret he wasn’t sure, it raised more questions than answers. “How are you anyways? How’s the house been?”

“Oh, uh I’ve been good. It’s been fine”

A soft cough interrupted both of them, soft and barely heard over the loud chattering around them, fading into the background as quickly as it was heard. Both Minhyuk and Hyunwoo turned to the pink haired man, large eyes and soft features looked back them, the corner of his lips turning upwards into a small smile.

“This is Hyungwon, you’ve met before right? That time at the store” Hyungwon’s voice was as soft as he appeared, his voice like a gentle whisper washing over Hyunwoo, calming and reassuring.

“I remember but we never spoke, nice to meet you anyways”

Hyunwoo held his hand out, smiling brightly as Hyungwon’s fingers gently wrapped around his hand into a loose handshake, the touch delicate and flimsy, the feeling of Hyungwon’s fingers dragging along his skin lingered as they both dropped their hands back their sides.

“Wonnie, Hyunwoo lives out in the forest in that old cottage” Minhyuk’s words seemed to catch Hyungwon by surprised, his mouth opening then closing and eyes widening slightly.

Glancing down at his watch he gently nudged Minhyuk’s shoulder before excusing himself. “I have to go to work but I hope you enjoy your stay. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around a lot more”

With a wave Hyungwon turned around and left, his long legs carrying him away quickly before disappearing into the crowd, Minhyuk watching him leave with a fond expression.

“I should leave too, I’ve lost track of time but...” Minhyuk’s voice trailed off as he searched his pockets for his phone, patting down his pants before triumphantly pulling it out of his jackets pocket, “Give me your number and we can go for coffee sometime?”

“Sure”

Hyunwoo took the phone from Minhyuk’s hand and tapped in his number, leaving a bear emoticon next to his name before handing the phone back to Minhyuk.

“Thanks! I’ll see you later Hyunwoo!”

Minhyuk was whisked away in the crowd, leaving Hyunwoo standing alone outside a particularly nice smelling restaurant his hand raised in a silent goodbye.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, snapping him out of his stupor. Pulling his phone out and unlocking it he saw the text Minhyuk had sent,  _ it’s me Minhyuk!  _ followed by a grinning emoticon. As he closed his messages the shopping list he had typed up before popped up on the screen, reminding him why he came.

Distracted by his conversation with Minhyuk he heading down the familiar path to the grocery store, scanning back over the list as he mindlessly dropped items in his basket, ready meals and easily prepared food taking most of the space. As he passed people, he could feel them stop to stare, their gaze boring holes into the back of his head. He could only assume they knew his aunt, knew he claimed the old house in her passing, the town was small, the population smaller, it was no doubt they knew her, they already all knew each other anyways. He knew he was an outside and they knew it too but something at the back of Hyunwoo’s mind told him it was about the forest, about the old cottage that faced the tree line.

Pink hair stood out as he found his gaze wander to Hyungwon who was working behind the register, his expression blank as he rung up an elderly ladies’ items, bagging them carefully before nodding a polite goodbye as she shuffled off.

“Hyunwoo. I didn’t expect to see you so soon” Hyungwon said as Hyunwoo began unloading his basket, letting Hyungwon slowly scan his items.

“Neither did I but forgot the groceries”

“So, how’s it like living out there” Hyungwon didn’t look up as he spoke, his tone changing, excitement veiled by the soft-spoken tone of his voice, his eyes fixated on the items in front of him, almost purposefully loading the bags slowly as he waited for an answer.

“It’s not too bad.” Hyunwoo paused as he searched for the words, the harsh reality staying hidden as he answered. “Peaceful, scenery is nice”

“You should be careful though; the forest likes to trick you at night. It’s easy to get lost without someone to light your path”

They were both cast into silence, the cryptic words lingering in the air between them, too awkward to talk, the only sound coming from the sound of each item being scanned and the occasional rustle of a plastic bag. The chattering around them grew louder, two elderly ladies bickered behind them over who had claim over the last seasonal fruit, two business who knew each other had stopped to talk, boisterous laughter filling the room as they caught up, children ran between isles followed by impatient mothers trying to round them up.

“Cash or card?” Hyungwon’s voice had lost its earlier edge, the dull tone returning as quickly as it left.

“Card”

The total ringing up on the screen as he swiped his card, the silence returning as the receipt was printed, the machine whirring, stuttering every so often, motivated only by the feeble slaps Hyungwon gave the machine with each pause. The sound of the receipt being ripped off and placed in the bag reverberated in Hyunwoo’s ears, his mind too preoccupied as he recounted his earlier conversation with Minhyuk and now Hyungwon.

“I’ll see you later then. Spring’s coming so I’m sure you’ll hear from Minhyuk soon”

“See you later”

The conversation felt abrupt, cold, the only reassurance was in the slight upturned corners of Hyungwon’s mouth and the small crease by his eyes as he smiled. Hyunwoo went home, Hyungwon’s aphorism playing on repeat in his head, thoughts in jumbles as he tried making sense of the words. Perhaps it was the way Hyungwon said it, it felt more than what it appears to be, the someone felt more like something but Hyunwoo wasn’t sure what  _ thing  _ Hyungwon meant.

 

Static buzzed in the air, each breath electrifying as Hyunwoo stood at the edge of the forest, his feet at the tree line, a mere step away from entering the same place that had been haunting his days and nights. Grass peaked through what remained of the snow as it melted into slush, leaving behind patches of frost and mud. The air was still and sky clear, the moon shining overhead, large and bright, illuminating the trees and casting shadows that danced around him, playful as they circled him. The trees began to sway, the owls perched on their branches watching him walk, their heads turning in synchronisation as they watched him pass, the trees bowing towards him as he left, following his movements. They swayed and leaned towards each other, whispering secrets as they opened the path that never seemed to end, leading the way. Hyunwoo had been walking for what seemed like an interminable amount of time, he felt weightless, free as he kept walking, the foliage changing as he approached. The further he delved the darker it seemed to get, shadows casting everything into darkness as the moon was shielded by the ever-growing branches of the trees, shutting out the light.

Hyunwoo stumbled forward, blind and lost, trapped in the maze of trees as he squinted, trying out to make out the shapes in the distance.

The trees whispered in his ears, encouraging to keep going, unspoken words leaving Hyunwoo with the feeling someone was waiting, driving him to keep going, his footsteps booming through the forest. A faint light gleamed in the distance, like a beacon on a lighthouse, guiding Hyunwoo to safety. It hid behind a bush, the blue tinted light filtering through the branches and leaves, light catching the small dust particles dancing in the air. Leaves crunched under his feet as he stepped towards the light, a path opening up, for him, the trees bowed, welcoming him.

Small balls of light floated through the air, static, leading him forward as they lit his path. Hyunwoo’s breath caught in his throat as the phantasmagorical scene shifted around him, the trees begun to change and the path narrowed, glowing eyes surrounding him as he walked forward, lilac flowers blooming in his footprints, bulbs opening wide as the purple flowers reached for the moon.

The glowing eyes began to take form, shadows forming the shape of two foxes, standing on either end of the path, guarding it in silence, their heads bowing as Hyunwoo continued down the path, the plants growing familiar as he approached the clearing he was longing to find again. Flowers bloomed widely, the grass greener than anything Hyunwoo had seen before, the only patch of white was the small rabbit standing in the center, its nose twitching as it sat back on its haunches.

As he looked around Hyunwoo felt like he was watching the world through a keyhole, his vision blurring as he tried to focus on the mystifying world around him, the shadows closing in as a familiar face came into view. The world grew dark, his eyes closing with pale skin and a soft smile being the last he saw, the lingering feathery touch against his lips lighting a fire along his body, the tips of his fingers tingling as the kiss broke and he fell into nothingness, the shadows enveloping him, warm like a blanket by the fireplace.

 

A gasp left Hyunwoo’s lips as his eyes reopened, his eyes burning with the sudden bright light that streamed through the living room window. Tendrils of smoke rose from the fireplace, the remnants of the fire still warm. Hyunwoo could feel his back crack as he rose from the couch, the blanket falling off of his body and pooling on the floor. The dream lingered, his thoughts fuzzy and his lips tingling as he stood up. His legs ached, muscles tight as if he’d been running for hours but he couldn’t recount the last time he had worked out that much. It made him wonder how much was really a dream. 

His phone began to buzz incessantly as he opened the fridge searching for food, numerous messages from Minhyuk popping up on the screen, relentless as he asked to meet for coffee. Still blurry from sleep Hyunwoo quickly typed back a short  _ ‘sure’ _ before sighing softly and closing the fridge, debating with himself if he should shower or not, trying to muster the energy to head to the shower and get ready. His stomach protesting with a loud growl as he hurried to his room to get ready, another influx of messages coming in from Minhyuk, nagging him to hurry up.

That morning was the first morning foot prints of any kind where found near his front door, the usually untouched ground was littered with small paw prints that Hyunwoo knew where from a rabbit, they circled around the front door before fleeing back to the forest. Transfixed he almost didn’t notice the small lilac coloured flower next to the doorstep, the stem slightly bruised as if it had been carried between teeth. An odd thought popped into Hyunwoo’s head as he carried the flower indoors, placing it in the nearest glass, filling it with water. 

Rabbits don’t bring people flowers. 

Hyunwoo knew that and tried tossing the thought aside, grinning to himself as he grabbed his keys and left, the warm buzzed feeling he felt waking up from his dream returning, remaining with him for the drive into town. 

The town was crowded as per usual, people hurrying in and out of shops, chattering amongst themselves. Hyunwoo wasn’t sure where the coffee shop was as he wandered the streets, glancing into each shop, searching for the familiar bright smile and bleached hair but he was interrupted by a loud shout of his name from across the road. Minhyuk waved him over from a small hole in the wall coffee shop, beckoning him over.

Small pale purple flowers decorated the tables and ground around the small coffee shop, there was something familiar about them but he couldn’t place it, sitting at the tip of his tongue but still unreachable. Most of the tables where occupied, waiters serving food and drinks, weaving around customers with a bright smile. Minhyuk sat beside the entrance, facing inside, mesmerised by a barrister, sending him a wink before being shooed away, his attention turning back to Hyunwoo as he walked over.

“Hyunwoo! Sit down, I already ordered if that’s ok?”

Hyunwoo walked over as Minhyuk called, waving back. “Of course. How are you?” He said as he pulled out a seat and sat down across from Minhyuk, his legs stretched out under him.

“I’m ok. How have you been? Sleeping well?”

“I’ve been ok. Keeping myself busy”

“I can imagine” Minhyuk leaned forward, “Have you visited the forest yet?” His voice was eager, his chin resting on his hands as he leant forward, waiting, impatient as Hyunwoo began to speak.

“No but I’ve been meaning to. I need do some research for me report but I’ve been putting it off”

Guilt welled up in Hyunwoo’s stomach, he wasn’t sure why not was he sure why he felt an innate fear of the forest. It haunted him, his dreams and thoughts every time he peered into the endless sea of green.

“Oh? Research? What kind?” Minhyuk continued to lean forward, a glint in his eye as he silently coaxed Hyunwoo to keep speaking, attentive and curious.

It wasn’t a secret how much Hyunwoo enjoyed talking about his studies and his thesis, research he started in university that bled into his free time and then finally career.

“Just on biodiversity. I was looking at the species of animals and plants here. I was waiting for spring for everything to begin to bloom first” Hyunwoo could feel himself begin to ramble, slowly growing more confident as he spoke, eyes bright and shining as he spoke.

“Sounds cool, but be careful it’s easy to get lost” Minhyuk trailed off lost in thought as he glanced to the side, watching a waiter load a tray with coffee and pastries “Spirits don’t like intruders”

“Spirits?”

It wasn’t the first time he heard that word uttered, it was whispered along with anything surrounding the forest. A secret hidden within the town, unknown to Hyunwoo. He heard stories when he was younger, his mother gently patting his hair to lull him to sleep as she told him about spirits lurking within forest, protecting it, keeping a watchful eye on everything that surrounds them.

“Don’t worry you’ll learn. Secrets don't stay secrets for too long”

Hyunwoo almost jumped in his seat as a cup of coffee was placed in front of him, snapping out of the trance that Minhyuk held him under, the tips of his ears flushing red as he turned to thank the server, his head bowing as he quickly uttered a soft thank you.

“Hyunwoo, this is Jooheon. He makes the best coffee” Minhyuk said as he motioned towards Jooheon, eagerly pulling his cup of coffee in front of him.

Jooheon pulled out a chair and sat next to Minhyuk, emptying the tray, putting three pastries on the table with a grin.

“Nice to meet you. Hope I’m not intruding”

“You’re not intruding don’t worry. It’s a pleasure to meet you” Hyunwoo said with a smile as he pulled the coffee towards him, inhaling the steam rising from the top.

Minhyuk reminded him of a small child presented with candies as he gazed longingly at the food placed in front of him, his hands fidgeting as he tried fighting back the urge to take them for himself.

“Is Kihyun in the kitchen again?” Minhyuk was practically salivating as he slowly reached out and slid a plate towards himself, looking over at Jooheon like he was caught with his hand in a cookie jar.

“You can eat them, Kihyun made them just now. He’d have brought them himself but…” Jooheon’s voice trailed off as he shot Minhyuk a knowing glance, his lips curving into a small cheeky grin.

“Hyungwon’s on break then huh”

I didn’t take Hyunwoo long to piece what they were saying together, smiling softly to himself into the coffee as he took a long sip, sighing softly, content, his gaze lingering over the pastry before

“Hey Jooheon. Hyunwoo said he studies ecology” Minhyuk had pulled Jooheon closer towards him, their shoulders pressed up against each other, giggling in each other’s arms.

“Uh yeah. I was going to go look around the forest when spring comes”

“Spring’s close, I can feel it coming. Only a few weeks away” Jooheon said, smiling widely, eyes wide with excitement as he took a deep breath.

“Feel it?”

“Can’t you?” Jooheon said with a slight tilt of his head, “The smell of plants beginning to bloom, flourishing as the new growth begins” He looked lost in thought as he spoke, his eyes closing for a moment as he inhaled deeply.

Minhyuk shot Jooheon a glance, nudging him as he quickly interrupted, whispering something in his ear, the nervous glint in his eyes belied his apologetic smile as he turned back to Hyunwoo.        

“It’s just a good time to pray, we have a lot of new crops that start to grow at the start of spring”

Hyunwoo felt puzzled, and that feeling seemed to happen often. The people that lived here where perplexing, seeming to speak in riddles and mysteries that he could never understand, the constant reminder of how much of an outsider he was. Hyunwoo knew different regions held their own traditions, their own stories and he felt too shy to ask. Their stories where their own, along with their beliefs and Hyunwoo felt he had no right to intrude or to question, just simply nod along, the veil still slipped over his eyes as he was left in the dark, full of questions but with no light to provide the answers he needed.

He craved to speak about his dreams, about the spirits and the man the lurked behind the trees, concealed in the shadows but he remained quiet, questions unanswered and the feeling of disquiet in the pit of his stomach and the aching in his chest eating away, growing and growing.

 

Pieces of bark and fallen branches dug into the bottom of his bare feet as he ran through the forest, the owls hooting in chorus, their voices muffled, distant as they cheered him on; the trees bending and distorting around him, reaching out with clawed hands as he passed, his legs aching from the strain, the path endless and ever growing, the cleaning an impossible distance.

He saw flashes of light, floating around him, racing past before disappearing into the night, the shadows following them, dancing in circles, spinning and weaving until the darkness consumed them, swallowed whatever light tried to escape whole. Hyunwoo felt like he was underwater, drowning, unable to breath as he gasped for air, he felt the drag of the water with each step, pulling him back and dragging him down.

The clearing was close, he could feel it calling, whispering in his ear.

He blindly strided forward, cast into complete darkness as he felt his way past the decaying bark, sap sticking to his hands, making him stumble as he tried to wipe it off. The world seemed to go by in flashes. Images of foxes running past, some small, others as large as he was, countless tails trailing behind them, gliding past, their feet barely touching the ground. He saw the white rabbit waiting in the middle of the clearing, as patient as ever, it’s tail twitching as is sat behind a patch of lilac flowers before running back into the trees. Hyunwoo could feel something soft press against his lips and gentle feathery touches, comforting and warm. Safe.

Light began to trickle behind Hyunwoos eyes, a wave of shivers ran down his spine like a bucket of iced water had been thrown over him as he woke, the familiar surroundings of his bedroom slowly coming into view. His muscles ached as he stepped out of bed, movements sluggish and lazy as he dragged himself to the bathroom, his clothes from yesterday discarded by the washing basket, clean and dry with no evidence he had left the house yesterday evening.

The dreams had become more frequent, each as real and vivid as the next. Reality and dream had begun to meld together and each time Hyunwoo woke he wasn’t sure if he had slept at all.

The forest had begun to get more active as spring approached, he saw foxes skirt around the tree line, daring each other to come closer before disappearing in the undergrowth. The rabbit seemed to visit daily, sitting near the driveway and watching the house, waiting for something. 

 

 

With the snow melted Hyunwoo found himself in the forest more and more, cataloguing plants, taking small samples with him each time, cursing at himself for not bringing better equipment to get a closer look at the everblooming wildlife. He couldn’t help but be perplexed as the forest flourished, flowers and plants shooting up early, blooming, green and bright.

Research had become his main distraction, only leaving the house to visit Minhyuk and his friends for the occasional coffee or to buy food. Most Fridays he found himself at the same coffee shop, Jooheon waiting on them before taking a seat on either Minhyuk’s lap or on the chair between them, however it was usually the latter. Occasionally Hyungwon would join them on his break who was followed quickly behind by Kihyun.

He found comfort in the routine, the days passing by much faster than they had been when he first arrived all those weeks ago. He smiled to himself as he watched Minhyuk pinch Jooheon’s cheeks, Jooheon’s legs kick out in protest as he squirmed in Minhyuk’s lap, the large smile never leaving either of their faces. Hyungwon watched on in amusement as he rested his head against Kihyun’s shoulder, his mouth opening every so often as a silent signal for Kihyun to place a bit of whatever pastry was made freshly that day.

“First day of spring is next week. I can’t wait!” Jooheon said with a mouth full of food, squirming in his seat as he nodded excitedly at the others.

“Are you both coming with us this year to pray?” Minhyuk said as he turned to Kihyun who was more or less fixated by taming the hair on Hyungwon’s head, gently patting down the soft pink strands.

Kihyun shook his head, “No uh, we’ll go ourselves later. Hyungwon wanted to say a few private words” his gaze still set on Hyungwon who had closed his eyes, soaking up the quiet affection, unbothered by the rays of sun hitting his face.

“That’s fine. It’s been a while since…”

Hyunwoo glanced over at Minhyuk then over to Kihyun, his gaze flicking between the two as Minhyuk trailed off, unspoken words lingering in the air, known to the others but foreign to Hyunwoo, another uncertainty to join the others.

Jooheon cleared his throat shaking Minhyuk whatever trance that held him as he stared over at Hyungwon.

“Hey Hyunwoo, wanna come with Jooheon and I to pray this coming Thursday morning?” Jooheon smiled and nodded as Minhyuk spoke, encouraging, his eyes disappearing into crescents.

Hyunwoo always found Jooheon cute, the childlike innocence about him, bright eyes and large dimples making their way to his heart.

Hyunwoo shook his head, holding his hands out in front of him. “I don’t want to intrude, I know you’ve been waiting for a while to go together”

“You’re not intruding at all! Most people here pray on the Spring Equinox. Gives us good luck” Jooheon said, his dimples flashing.

“Well I’m not exactly doing anything so sure, yeah I’ll come”

Minhyuk clapped his hands together, “We’ll meet at yours at go all together? I wanna have a go in your car”

“I wouldn’t trust Minhyuk anywhere near the driver’s seat even if my life depended on it” Kihyun chimed in, grinning from ear to ear as Hyungwon chuckled softly, the corners of his lips upturned as he silently watched the others.

Hyunwoo wasn’t sure when the last time he had been church was, nor could he remember seeing a church around town yet he still couldn’t help the wide smile and boisterous laughter that left his mouth, relishing every minute.

 

The moon peeked behind the clouds, light filtering down onto Hyunwoo's lawn, illuminating the single lilac coloured flower on his doorstep. Ever since the first flower was dropped outside his house it begun to occur frequently, always the same flower, unidentifiable even to Hyunwoo. He spent days searching for clues on what species the flower was, papers of his research piling up, crumpled up notes littering the floor beside the chair. It remained a mystery as he slowly kept adding them the small makeshift vase, he left on the dining table, staring at the as he ate, never wilting or dying.

He stepped outside to pick it up, crouching down to inspect the small plant, the stem as neatly cut as per usual, his gaze fixated on the soft petals as he turned it around in his hands, admiring the perfection in each leaf, the colour pure and unblemished, not a single imperfection to be found, He hadn’t bothered to look up search the grounds, already noticed the familiar footprints from the rabbit in the dirt leading back towards to forest. He could feel eyes watching him, his gaze remaining pinned to the flower as he stood back up, ignoring the small tuft of faded white and blue hair poking out from behind one of the trees, heading inside instead and closing the door without looking back, heading to the living room table to place the flower with the others.

He glanced at the clock. Ten thirty.

The week had gone by quickly, Thursday just around the corner, almost hours away until Minhyuk would come knocking. Hyunwoo wasn’t sure if it was dread that had settled in his stomach as he kept glancing at the clock, the minutes dragging by.

Unopened documents and ignored tabs stared back at him as he devoted his attention to finishing his plate of food, unable to focus as thoughts began to swirl around his mind, his gaze catching on the lilac coloured flowers in the center of the table. Questions bubbled to the surface of his mind as he tried piecing together the whispered conversations he overheard and cryptic words shared between them.

A soft sigh left his lips as Minhyuk’s name popped up his phone screen, the sound of his ringtone reverberating against the wall.

“Hello?”

“Hyunwoo! Just reminding you about tomorrow!” Minhyuk’s voice was almost unfamiliar as he shouted through the distorted line of the phone, the eagerness still bleeding through.

Hyunwoo chucked, amused at Minhyuk’s enthusiasm, feeling it seep through the line, reassuring as it ate away his worries.  “Of course, I didn’t forget. I was about to go to bed.”

“I’ll come round at about six thirty with Jooheon if that’s ok?” Hyunwoo could hear a muffled ‘hey’ from Jooheon in the background, almost inaudible from the poor connection.

“Six thirty? Isn’t that a bit early?”

Hyunwoo hadn’t been to church in a while, but he couldn’t recall one that started that early. He had always felt that there was something magical about sunrises, the sun casting the sky in red and pink hues as it begun to rise, warm tones brightening the earth before taken over by a brilliant blue. Hyunwoo could recount the countless mornings spent sleepless, wide awake after studying all night, work continuously accumulating on his work table as he spent most mornings trying to get through as much as he had, shoulders weighed down, only lifting to peak out the window to see the sun rise, the light filtering between the buildings.

“Better to be a little early than late and miss it don’t you think?” The chattering behind Minhyuk grew louder, the static concealing their words, the conversation too soft for Hyunwoo to hear. “Hold on a second”

“Uh yeah sure-”

The noise behind Minhyuk grew louder, he could hear Minhyuk asking someone something, he wasn’t sure who, the voice didn’t sound like it belonged to Jooheon. He picked a few words being muttered;  _ Hoseok, offering, Horae. _ The words where meaningless to him, the all to feeling of confusion nagging in the corner of his mind, curiosity seeping through as it urged him to listen, his ears straining, only picking up on the sound of Jooheon giggling.

“Oh, also can you bring some ramen with you? I forgot to go shopping,” Minhyuk said, his voice a booming contrast to the earlier whispering, Hyunwoo wincing as Minhyuk continued to chatter.

“I think I have a packet or two, so no problem.”

“Make sure it’s warm! See you tomorrow!”

Minhyuk hung up, his phone’s screen turning black as he put the device back on the table. Part of him didn’t want to question the call nor Minhyuk’s strange request but he found himself wordlessly pulling out whatever remen he could find shoved at the back of the cupboard, setting everything on the table for the morning. He craved answers, it was the sort of esoterica Hyunwoo didn’t expect to plague him day and night, the hope that something would be answered tomorrow brought comfort to him as he cleaned up and prepared for the next day.

It didn’t take him much longer to drag himself into bed, sleep dragging him down like a wave washing over him, his eyes fluttering shut as he fell under the spell of sleep, soft puffs of air escaping his lips as dreams filled his thoughts.

 

His eyes still felt heavy as he woke up, the alarm blaring in his ears as he fumbled for his phone, his arms heavy as he held his phone up to his face, swiping the alarm off, forcing his eyes to remain opened as he kicked the sheets off the bed, trying to find motivation to get ready, knowing Minhyuk and Jooheon would arrive soon. He shuffled to the bathroom, trying not to dawdle as the clocked ticked, the time passing quickly as he tried sorting his belongings.

He put the ramen on to simmer as he started getting ready, rummaging through his drawers and still half packed suitcase, searching for something more or less respectful to wear into a church, settling on the most neutral bottom down he could find, hoping it would be enough. A knock on the door interrupted him as he began to pour the content into an old takeaway container, sealing the lid and setting the pot to the side as he hurried to open the door. He grabbed his bags and keys as he hurried to the door, carrying the ramen in his spare hand, the still hot meal burning the tips of his fingers.

Minhyuk and Jooheon stood on the porch waiting, their fingers interlocked as Minhyuk began to rock back and forth on his heels, impatient as he glanced back at the woods his arm reaching out to knock again as soon as Hyunwoo swung the door open.

“Morning, let's get going then. You can lead the way,” Hyunwoo said as he stepped outside, locking the door behind him.

He nodded towards the car that was parked in the makeshift driveway next to the side on the house, the tracks from the tires eroding the ground to make a small makeshift path that lead to the road.

“Sounds good,” Jooheon nodded, swinging his and Minhyuk's arms as he turned to the car, wide eyed and eager.

Minhyuk grinned as the both raced to the car, calling shotgun before turning back to Hyunwoo who followed behind them, fiddling with his car keys as he unlocked the doors.

“It’s not that far, we could walk there now but I want to have a ride in your car”

The others didn’t waste time as they climbed into the car, Minhyuk fiddling over Jooheon who he sat in the front seat, Hyunwoo’s ramen safely nestled in his lap, Minhyuk fussing as he started fixing up his seat belt, trying to clip it in for him, tightening it and double checking it was secure before climbing into the center seat at the back. Minhyuk leaned forward to rest his chin on Jooheon’s chair, staring out the front, his legs bouncing, jittery, as Hyunwoo put the car in reverse, pulling out onto the empty road.

The trees passed them as they drove down the road, putting along slowly as Jooheon had his face almost pressed right up against the window his head whipping back and forth as he watched the scenery pass, not noticing Minhyuk watching him, eyes glinting with amusement as he tried holding himself back from pinching Jooheon’s cheeks.

“Here!” Jooheon jammed his finger against the glass, motioning up ahead, making Hyunwoo press down on the breaks. “You can just park a little bit down the road.”

They were about halfway between his house and the town, easily walkable either way. A small shrine stood clearly at the tree line, just behind the trees, protected by the forest. Hyunwoo could have sworn the shrine hadn’t been there before, he never noticed it driving past yet it stood out with the bright paints and wild flowers growing in a circle around it. The wood looked old yet taken care for, freshly polished with only a small piece of paint chipping revealing countless other layers of paint coats under it.

The shrine grew clearer as he stepped out of the car, a small marble slab decorating the base, the carving mostly faded, he could barely make out three robed figures, dancing as they were led forward by an unknown figure. Flowers decorated the border, the petal shape familiar as he stared, his fingers itching to reach forward and trace the outline. Realisation set in as he stared at the shrine. They had come to pray over whatever gods watched the forest, old beliefs and traditions passed down century after century still upheld and respected. Hyunwoo said nothing as he bowed his head slightly, his eyes landing on the freshly picked flowers placed against the shrine. He recognised them as gardenias, the delicate petals resting against the bright red wood.

“Hyungwon’s been here. They must have come before us,” Jooheon said as he pointed towards the small bunch of gardenias, the ramen still in his other hand.

“They must have come early… with their own business,” Minhyuk muttered to himself as he pulled his backpack to his chest, fiddling with the zipper.

Jooheon handed the ramen back to Hyunwoo, nodding towards the shrine. “You need to leave an offering before you pray, nothing is for free after all.”

Hyunwoo wasn’t sure if Jooheon was serious or not as he took the container back, the contents still quite hot as he held it on the tips of his fingers, ignoring the subtle scalding feeling from the heat.

“If you want, just follow our lead,” Minhyuk had taken the contents of his bag out, two wrapped items balanced in his arms as he attempted to fix the zipper and swing it back over his shoulder.

Silently he handed one of the packages to Jooheon, the soft pastel paper used to wrap the items were sealed by a small bunny sticker. The amusement outweighing the silent shock as he watched both of them kneel, the packages placed next to the flowers, their heads bowed as they began to silently whisper. Hyunwoo couldn’t help but avert his gaze as they begun to pray, he felt like an intruder, overhearing things he wasn’t privy to, he glanced around the area, trying to find some sort of distraction for his mind.  

As the two began to finish they beckoned him, slowly rising as they waved him over. He approached with hesitant steps, following the instructions to place the container down, the chopsticks he had shoved at the bottom of his bag neatly placed over the top. As he fell down to his knees, mimicking Minhyuk’s and Jooheon’s previous movements as he dropped his head, oblivious to the small white figure that approached, the snowy coloured fur contrasting against the bright green. He glanced up as a gasp escaped Jooheon’s lips, eyes widening as it approached, a lilac flower in its mouth, sitting carefully between its teeth as it approached the shrine, staring up at Hyunwoo before dropping the flower on the shrine. Tail twitching and eyes staring directly into Hyunwoo’s, inquisitive and curious. It sat in front of him for another few seconds before turning back around and hopping back into the trees, the newly bloomed bushes hiding it as it disappeared from view.

A soft cough forced Hyunwoo to tear his gaze away, Minhyuk and Jooheon had taken a step back, a small dimple appearing above their brows as they furrowed them, bewildered as they watched the reticent scene fold out before them.

“Minhyuk and I are going to go back to town, it’s barely ten minutes away don’t worry. Take your time. Remember not to waste your wish. Ask something important.”

Jooheon and Minhyuk turned and left, their arms wrapped around each other’s waist, leaving Hyunwoo by himself, his words flowing freely as he leant forward, eyes closed and almost falling to a deep bow, whispering the words before rising.

“What’s Horae?”

It didn’t take long for Hyunwoo to stand and head back to the car, his keys swinging between his fingers, lost in thought as he climbed back into the vehicle, igniting it. As he left, he could see the white-haired man standing by the shrine, watching the car speed off down the road, the blue was gone from his hair, a soft lilac tint reflecting off of the strands as the morning sun hit it, the same way as the flowers sitting in his living room. The man turned and waved as Hyunwoo left, too distant for him to see his face in the distance but he found himself raise his hand to wave back, the last image he saw was of the man sit and bring the ramen to his face before disappearing into a small speck in the distance.

 

The day only seemed to grow stranger. Minhyuk refused to answer his texts along with the others, his calls remained ignored and messages unread. The sun fell from the sky as quickly as it rose, night eating away at the light, darkness falling over the world.

He stared at the window, silently at war with himself as he debated on what to do at that moment. His leg twitches, restless as he found himself watching the door. He knew there was something in the woods, something to do with what the others constantly hid, the cryptic words always spoken and dreams that haunted his nights.

His footsteps were loud in his ears as he walked towards the door, twisting the doorknob and letting it swing open, a gentle breeze curling around his body as he stepped outside, letting the door fall closed behind him.

The walk to the clearing seemed to almost mimic his dreams, each movement of the trees and glowing eyes following him as he walked down the familiar path, each step with purpose. The world didn’t feel as cold and as empty as he remembered it to be, the world around him teemed with life, insects singing in chorus with the owls, small animals ran through the undergrowth around his feet. The moon grew brighter as he delved deeper, lighting up his surroundings, followed by the glowing lights, floating ahead like lanterns, guiding him safely forward. He kept walking, determined, until he was faced with the bright green patch of grass and exquisite flowers, weaving around each other in the wind.

The rabbit stood in the corner, next to a pair of bare legs, barely covered by the linen cloth draped over a toned body he thought he’d never see again. The shadows had dispersed, cowering from the light of the moon, leaving his face completely visible, exposed as Hyunwoo looked him up and down, mouth slightly agape.

Pointed ears stuck out from the side of his head, chains hanging from his lobe and connecting to the cartridge, swinging with each slight movement. His skin reflected the light of the moon, the colours seeming to shift between a soft green and blue, almost too pale for it to be noticeable. He didn’t seem to cast a shadow like everything else behind him, his form solid yet almost like a dream, impossible to really focus on as Hyunwoo kept staring in awe.

The corner of his lips curved into a soft smile as he took a step towards Hyunwoo, his eyes turning into small crescents, disappearing, his cheeks puffing out slightly before tilting his head to the side, a melodic voice leaving his lips, caressing every part of Hyunwoo’s body, goosebumps rising on his skin, his chest tingling with the words.

“Welcome back Hyunwoo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a long boi. I hope yall enjoyed and it was worth the wait ooof. But i'm putting a shit ton of time into this so i rrly do hope you are all liking it :(  
> Bc i also have my wonkyun fic going atm chapter updates may be slow as i gotta write for that one as well but hopefully i can power thru both aye
> 
> please leave kudos and comments im a baby and need attention thank you :( 
> 
> find me on my twitter where i mostly shit post @[fluffybunho](https://twitter.com/fluffybunho)

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!!!! comments and kudos are appreciated plz im needy. Updates will probably be irregular but I'll try to keep them decently spaced bc also writing a wonkyun fic atm so hopefully I'll be able to post both regularly.
> 
> find me on my twitter @[fluffybunho](https://twitter.com/fluffybunho) I post fics there as well 
> 
> Also feel free to check out my other works aye


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